Short message service, when first introduced over a decade ago, enabled mobile subscribers to easily send and receive text messages via a wireless handset. As the convergence of wireless communication networks and Internet data networks has increased, the sending and receiving of SMS messages via computer terminals has become commonplace. Although specifications and industry standards related to SMS are constantly evolving and being modified, SMS messages have traditionally been used to convey text information, where the text may include any combination of alphanumeric characters. After the initial text messaging application, service providers began focusing on using SMS as a means of eliminating alphanumeric pagers by permitting two-way general purpose messaging and notification services. One service that has been provided using SMS is voice mail notification service. As technology and networks continued to mature, a variety of services were introduced, including electronic mail (email) and fax integration, paging integration, interactive banking, and information services, such as stock quotes, news highlights, etc.
SMS delivery service provides a mechanism for transmitting short messages to and from SMS-capable telecommunications terminals (e.g., mobile telephone handsets) via the signaling component of a wireless telecommunications network, as well as from other types of communications terminals (e.g., personal computers, personal digital assistants, network appliances, etc.) via a data network.
FIG. 1 is a network diagram illustrating a conventional mobile originated (MO) short message signaling scenario. In FIG. 1, a communications network environment 100 includes an originating wireless handset 102, an originating mobile switching center (MSC) 104, an SS7 signal transfer point (STP) 106, an originating short message service center (SMSC) 108 associated with the originating wireless handset 102, an SMPP gateway entity 110, an NPA-NXX database 112, a location routing number (LRN) database 114, a local number portability (LNP) database 116, a terminating SMSC 118, a home location register (HLR) node 120, and a terminating wireless handset 122.
As indicated in FIG. 1, originating wireless handset 102 transmits an SMS message to serving or originating MSC 104. MSC 104 transmits a mobile originated forward short message (MO_ForwardSM) to STP 106. At STP 106, the message may be message transfer part (MTP) routed or global title (GT) translated and then MTP routed to originating SMSC 108. SMSC 108 translates or converts the MO_ForwardSM message into an equivalent SMPP Submit_SM message and transmits the Submit_SM message to SMPP Gateway entity 110 via an Internet protocol connection. If the intended recipient of the SMS message is a mobile telephone service subscriber (as is the case in this example), SMPP gateway entity 110 may be required to query NP database 116. If the intended SMS message recipient has been ported, NP database 116 may return an LRN associated with the HLR serving the intended message recipient.
In this example, the LRN returned to SMPP gateway entity 110 identifies HLR 120. SMPP gateway entity 110 accesses LRN directory database 114 using the LRN value returned by LNP database 116 in order to determine the next routing address that is to be used in the SMS message delivery sequence. In this example, LRN directory database 114 returns a routing address associated with terminating SMSC 118 (i.e., the SMSC serving the intended message recipient.). If the connection between SMPP gateway entity 110 and terminating SMSC 118 is an IP connection, the routing address returned by LRN directory database 114 may be an IP address. If the connection between SMPP gateway entity 110 and terminating SMSC 118 is an SS7 MTP link, the routing address returned by LRN directory database 114 may be an SS7 point code.
In any event, the Submit_SM message is transmitted by SMPP gateway entity 110 to terminating SMSC 118. Upon receiving the message, terminating SMSC 118 queries HLR 120 in order to determine the current status and location of the intended message recipient. If the intended recipient is available, HLR 120 responds to SMSC 118 with information that identifies the MSC currently serving the recipient subscriber. In this case, the serving MSC is MSC 104. SMSC 118 translates or converts the SMPP Submit_SM message into an equivalent MT_ForwardSM message and transmits the MT_ForwardSM message to MSC 104. MSC 104 delivers the SMS message to the intended recipient.
The example described above with respect to FIG. 1 is merely illustrative of a basic SMS delivery scenario. Other messaging, such as delivery confirmation messaging, not described above may also take place during an SMS transaction. An SMPP gateway entity may also provide connectivity to communications networks other than mobile telecommunication networks, thereby enabling an SMS message originated by a mobile telephone to be delivered to an SMS terminal, such as a PC or a PDA, that is not directly connected to a mobile telecommunications network
As described above, numerous routing address and message translation operations are typically required to support SMS message delivery service in a diverse communications network environment. Current network implementations, such as that shown in FIG. 1, require a number of different network elements that must be individually administered and effectively interoperated in order for SMS message delivery to be accomplished. The operating and administrative costs as well as the interoperability requirements may present a significant burden to network operators wishing to provide seamless SMS delivery service to subscribers. Accordingly, there exists a long-felt need for improved methods and systems for communicating SMS messages between SS7 network entities and SMPP network entities.